[Teetorbilt]

I just gave a short term cleanup contract to some nuevo americanos. I just returned from the site and am speechless. The house was DETAILED! Not a speck of dust anywhere, every single corner perfectly cleaned, they had to of used Q-Tips. I am just totally astounded!
P.S. I'm not telling anybody who they are, I'll figure out a way to keep them going full-time. Might have to start yet another business! Sometimes it just rains in buckets.

 

[Cole]

How much do they charge you?

I bet my guys rival urs?

 

[hatchet]

Is that final clean or construction cleaning Teetor?
Commercial stuff we almost always use one guy for most of our stuff around Denver. His people are pretty amazing - seen them go inside cabinets and clean the glue off the underside of the counter...hah. I told them that wasn't absolutely necessary - they said it was standard practice.. Alrighty then... get to it.

 

[Grumpy]

hey Teetor, can you send your crew to my condo?

Do they do laundry and dishes?

 

[Teetorbilt]

75% of my jobs are in occupied spaces. dust control and general cleanliness are paramount. Normal working hours are 7-3 with cleanup from 3-4. Homes and offices are cleaned every day. Cost is $30.00 and built into the job cost.
Grumpy, I need them every day so long term projects are out of the question. LOL

 

[Grumpy]

Long term projects... Hah!

Cleanliness is also extremly important for me. If you've ever witnesses a roof being torn off you know there is a huge ammount of garbage. I go around trying to pick up every last bit of shingle and felt when the job is all done and the guys have cleaned. I don't even ask for any money until "I" have personally inspected for cleanliness.

How clean we are is by far our #1 compliment, and how clean we are is something that has gotten us other jobs from the neighbors.

 

[Teetorbilt]

Grumpy, I was referring to cleaning your apartment. LOL

 

[Grumpy]

LOL I know.

ThenI changed the subject.

 

[Teetorbilt]

Grumpy, do you use one of the nail magnets in the yard? I used to see guys using them but not much anymore. The guy down the street had to DIY it after the roofers left.

 

[trekr]

Teetor, what is that $30.00-- hour? I've wondered about the market around here for a construction cleanup service. I know of one that does final cleanups before closing and he seems to be doing pretty well.

Would anyone be willing to offer how much they pay for this type of service-- if they use one of course.

Thanks everyone.

 

[Teetorbilt]

The deal was $30.00 per clean. No hours attached.
The guy showed up with his wife/ sis-in-law and daughter. I don't know how long they stay but their work is impressive and certainly worth what I'm paying. I still use the other guy and he gets $50.00 for a husband / wife team and they're pretty good but nothing like the new guy.

 

[Grumpy]

Teetor. I try to be turn key. We have a magnet which is 3' wide on wheels and we walk the yard we are working on, and the neighbor's yard as well.

 

[Teetorbilt]

I would assume that any good roofer would if for no other reason than liabilty. A nail in a foot, bad. Nail thrown by mower into window, not as bad. Flat tire on mower, an aggravation and enough to tick a customer off.
I wonder why more people aren't doing it.
The guys that took down what was left of my pool enclosure left the screws all over the place. I just found another one yesterday. They left them in the pool too, good thing that I got them out before they rusted or their would have been hell to pay. BTW the net was right there and the job took me 2 mins.

 

[Grumpy]

Teetor it is a liability issue and I tell the customer that in my sales presentation, however I don't make my reasons appear so selfish

Why aren't more doing it? Time is money.

 

[Teetorbilt]

Grumpy, I always steer well away from any liability issues other than what is stated in the contract. Don't get them looking for a potential lawsuit before you even start the job!

 

[Grumpy]

Teetor you could be right but I have found if I am talking to a mother and I tell her very sincerely that "The last thing I want is for one of your children to find a nail before I do..." It really puts ME in a warm place in their heart. I then continue "... that's why I do a very thurough inspection personally, after my workmen have cleaned up everything."

I will be honest I kinda overdress it a little bit when talking to the customer, but it's true.

Really the #1 compliment I have gotten is "how clean I am." because I set the customer up for that finished product, and it's true. I really really use my cleanliness on the jobsite as a niche so to speak. Plus it get's me alot of work from the neighbors when the see 10 tarps surrounding a house and the ground around the house. They usually see roofers with ZERO tarps.

 

[Teetorbilt]

Grumpy, I've never seen a roofer tarp around a house either. I'll bet that in the long run it's more efficient than trying to rake or pick up all of the small pieces.
I put down runners over the traffic pattern and tape down tarps in the areas being worked in unless the flooring is going too. On old carpet I'll strip about 6" away from the walls and leave the rest in place. It's easier on feet and backs, deadens noise and catches dust, it goes just before the painters come in.

 

[Grumpy]

It is Teetor, and I tell my customers that. The reason other roofers don;t do this is because they want to save time, but 15 minutes to hang tarps saves us hours in the end, and we are cleaner.

We still have to rake a little bit. The tarps don't catch everything but the very first tear off I ever did was with zero tarps and I know how hard it was to clean, and we didn;t get all the pieces either.

I do what you described when we are installing windows. That is the only time we go inside the house. We also vacuum when we are done inside the house.

I have considered striking up a deal with a local landscaper to buy bulk gift certificates from him and giving them to each one of my customers to use after the roof job is complete. If it only costs me an extra $30 per job, it's well worth it I think.

 

[Teetorbilt]

You're always thinking Grumpy. This should have it's own thread.
My wife buys wine by the case and has her own labels made to go over the originals. She'll take over a few bottles and maybe some flowers or a plant for the office. BTW she sells Avaya, Lucent phone and IP systems and is a BellSouth reseller.
I go by the size of the job and the people. I'll rip off the missus wine before she puts the labels on it and add a housewarming basket, kind of a 'welcome to your new home'. Newcomers from up north will get a citrus basket, they really seem to like that.